Description

Book Synopsis

Taking us from the mundane to the magical, this collection of short stories will entertain and delight.

Drawing inspiration from East Asian and Malaysian myth and folklore, Zen Cho guides the reader through enchanted realms inhabited by dragons, vampires and incorrigible grandmothers.

We’ll meet an elderly ex-member of parliament, who recalls her youthful romance with an orang bunian. This was forbidden. Not because her lover was an invisible jungle spirit, but because she was Muslim and he was not. A teenage vampire struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love . . . and eating people. A mischievous matriarch returns from the dead to disrupt her own funeral rites, pitting granddaughter against granddaughter. An earth spirit becomes entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord. And Chang E, the Chinese moon goddess, spins off into outer space – the ultimate metaphor for diaspora.

Spirits Abroad won

Trade Review
Spirits Abroad is a fantastic and fun exploration of the borders between human and spirit and life and death, by one of the best fantasy writers working today -- Martha Wells, author of The Murderbot Diaries
By turns hilarious and heartbreaking - and always sharply smart -- Aliette de Bodard, author of The Red Scholar’s Wake
Spirits Abroad is speculative fiction at its best! Zen Cho has created a collection of modern-day classics . . . Charming, warm and heartbreakingly relatable, Spirits Abroad is pure magic! -- Vanessa Len, author of Only a Monster
Spirits Abroad is deliciously fun, dazzlingly clever, and my favourite-ever short story collection, bar none. Read it now!’ -- Stephanie Burgis, author of Snowspelled
Zen Cho’s stories manage the rare and precious feat of being smart, witty, wise, horrific, and comforting all at once -- Kate Elliott, author of The Sun Chronicles
Absolutely gorgeous . . . Just as with her novels, Cho merges humor and relatable characters with delightful prose and engaging storylines -- Buzzfeed
A swath of delightful and intricate stories from a wildly inventive storyteller -- Kirkus Reviews

Spirits Abroad

    Product form

    £17.09

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £18.99 – you save £1.90 (10%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Sat 27 Jun 2026.

    A Hardback by Zen Cho

    1 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho

      Publisher: Pan Macmillan
      Publication Date: 17/08/2023
      ISBN13: 9781035015641, 978-1035015641
      ISBN10: 1035015641

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      Taking us from the mundane to the magical, this collection of short stories will entertain and delight.

      Drawing inspiration from East Asian and Malaysian myth and folklore, Zen Cho guides the reader through enchanted realms inhabited by dragons, vampires and incorrigible grandmothers.

      We’ll meet an elderly ex-member of parliament, who recalls her youthful romance with an orang bunian. This was forbidden. Not because her lover was an invisible jungle spirit, but because she was Muslim and he was not. A teenage vampire struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love . . . and eating people. A mischievous matriarch returns from the dead to disrupt her own funeral rites, pitting granddaughter against granddaughter. An earth spirit becomes entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord. And Chang E, the Chinese moon goddess, spins off into outer space – the ultimate metaphor for diaspora.

      Spirits Abroad won

      Trade Review
      Spirits Abroad is a fantastic and fun exploration of the borders between human and spirit and life and death, by one of the best fantasy writers working today -- Martha Wells, author of The Murderbot Diaries
      By turns hilarious and heartbreaking - and always sharply smart -- Aliette de Bodard, author of The Red Scholar’s Wake
      Spirits Abroad is speculative fiction at its best! Zen Cho has created a collection of modern-day classics . . . Charming, warm and heartbreakingly relatable, Spirits Abroad is pure magic! -- Vanessa Len, author of Only a Monster
      Spirits Abroad is deliciously fun, dazzlingly clever, and my favourite-ever short story collection, bar none. Read it now!’ -- Stephanie Burgis, author of Snowspelled
      Zen Cho’s stories manage the rare and precious feat of being smart, witty, wise, horrific, and comforting all at once -- Kate Elliott, author of The Sun Chronicles
      Absolutely gorgeous . . . Just as with her novels, Cho merges humor and relatable characters with delightful prose and engaging storylines -- Buzzfeed
      A swath of delightful and intricate stories from a wildly inventive storyteller -- Kirkus Reviews

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account